The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-12-28
The New Citrate.


Why don't you set your cap for him,
Matte? You've got as good chance
as the rest of them, and twenty-siX is
not old by any means"
She leaned over the garden-gate as
she spoke, this veritable village gossip.
/ can see her now, with her great poke
bonnet, from beneath which the clus-
tering gray ringlets peeped; the keen
blue eyes, that seemed to read your
very thoughts, the trim little figure clad
always in ample skirts of Quaker gray
or somber brown.
Never was there wedding, funeral
or christening in the village without
this estimable lady's presence. What
harmless little body she appeared, and
how incapable of carrying about that
wonderful budget of information! How
nicely she impaired her knowledge to
her listeners, beginning with: Well,
l don't mind telling you," or They do
say, but of course you can't believe
everything" and ending with That's
between you and me; it will go no
farther"
was busy in the garden that morn
ing, training some early June roses;
my thoughts were not the brightest
scarcely in harmony with nature, that
was decked in one of her brightest
nantes. 1t was quite unnecessary for
Mrs. Briggs to remind me of my age; l
was thinking seriously of it. Twenty
six! Not very old to be sure, and yet
not very young to be an unmarried
woman. / must be content with fewer
laurels, less conquests. / must step
out of the field, as it were, and leave
tho rot,,onca apJ 1a n y-Ol1pUar
and fairer girls.
1t mattered little to me whether the
new curate was young and unmarried,
or a portly old fellow with wife and
grown daughters. AT heart | disliked
this interfering old woman who had
broken in upon my reverie.
thanked her kindly for her advice,
telling her that at present l had no in
tention of setting my cap for any
one, not even the new curate; so say
ing l went back to my work and the
roses.
There Matte don't oct riled' OF
course it's nobody's business if you're
gong to leave yourself an old maid. Take
my advice and don't spend your time
fretting and worrying over Bob Pres
ton, for he amt worth it,
She shook her head wisely and was
off before l had time to recover from
the cruel thrust that had opened the old
wound-Robert Preston and the past.
l had tried to guard my heart, to
trample under foot the old love. l
could have laughed at my girlish folly,
as if it were dream, until thought
less word had brought back the past,
like the dead risen to life again, or
smouldering fire that needed but
gentle breeze to make it into burning
flame. One by one the roses dropped
from my hands. One by one the blind
ing tears fell. | was only a weak
woman, after all, as, covering my face
with my hands, sobbed, " Robert-oh,
Robert Why were you false?"
1t all all came back to me, that visit
to Aunt Martha, where | first met Rob-
ert Preston, a young student just re-
turned from college. l cannot tell you
all those bright, happy day-dreams; how
l loved him and waited for that happy
day when he would ask me for that
love. He read his answer in my tell
tale face before my lips uttered it.
So, engrossed with Roberts society,
/ took little heed of other matters,
scarcely giving thought to the fact
that young lady, the daughter of a
deceased friend of my aunt's, was
going to make her home with
us. She came. From the moment
looked upon her lovely face my hap
piness was gone. | was a pretty
girl, fair and fragile, yet one might as
well compare a simple little daisy to a
full-blown poppy or rich red rose as
my frail beauty to this girls exquisite
loneliness.
For a time my love was unchanged.
l laughed in my foolish heart at my
doubts and fears. At times | would
find his serious eyes wandering from
me and resting admiringly on the beau
tiful face of Kathleen Lee. No man
could resist that wondrous, fascinating
face. She never encouraged him, but
the dropping lids, the faint blush, the
trembling of the little hands-all told
plainly that she, too, loved him.
How | suffered! In my mad jealousy
! grew to almost hate the child. He
loved me before she came, with her
beautiful, hower-like face, to rob me of
that love. Was she blind that she did
not see that we were betrothed? |
prayed that she might 90 away and
leave us to ourselves once more and
Robert would go back to his old fond
ways. His caresses were growing
colder, his kisses lighter. | spoke of
his seeming neglect He answered
lightly, taking my hands in his and
looking fondly at me. " Nonsense,
Matte! Do you know, my little girl,
that you are growing nearer and dearer
to me every day?"
For time / was satisfied, trying to
be content with but share of his love,
We were seated in the garden one
afternoon in the early autumn-Robert
Kathleen and l. She was looking
unusually handsome in a dress of soft
India null. My lover had just paid her a
well-merited compliment, for which she
was about to make a gracious reply
when Aunt Martha came to us.
Robert" she said, placing her hand
fondly on his shoulder, as she spoke
"will you gather some grapes for mef
find that some of the punches hang
too high. The girls will go with you
and hold the basket"
He rose to comply with her reque st
Kathleen was at his side in nome mt
while l refused to join them, feignine
severe headache.